Dad's Little Helper Black IPA - Rogue Ales

jculler82

Pennsylvania

3.13/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I'm reluctant to review this because I'm not sure of its age, but I will anyway.

Review is to style.

Looks great, black in the center with tobacco burst edges. Nice head, which is the shade between off-white and tan, and good lacing.

Smells great, but there are no hops. Chocolate all the way in the nose. I realize hops aren't a must in the American Black Ale style, but they called this one a Black IPA. There may be some faint fruity hops in the back.

Tastes great too, but no hops at all. Would make a really nice porter. Loads of chocolate along with the standard Rogue house flavor. There is a nice lingering bitterness after the swallow, but that's the only thing remotely IPA about this one.

Nice medium full mouthfeel.

Overall, great beer, I'd order another pint. That said, it's more porter than IPA, and if you're calling it a Black IPA, I expect some hops.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2011 22:49:30 | More by jculler82

IronLover

Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev +15%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Sampled from a bottle with no freshness date. Deep brown, almost black in color. Poured with a big frosty beige head that stuck around for the duration, leaving lots of sticky lacings on the glass. Combination of light herbal, pine and citrus hop aromas along with dark roasted malt and a hint of chocolate. Medium bodied with assertive carbonation and a light resinuous feel Flavors constantly change from beginning to end. Starts off with a light milk chocolate flavor that carries through to the end but takes a backseat to all of the other dominant malts and hops. Dark roasted malt flavors come next that transition to coffee into the middle. Then the hops take over. Pine hops with a hint of citrus with the pine slowly intensifying to the finish. Malt flavor transitions from a dark roast flavor to a to burnt malt flavor at the finish as well. Hoppy pine bitter aftertaste but it does linger for long. Lots of great aromas and flavors. This was a great brew.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2011 02:05:09 | More by IronLover

zeff80

Missouri

3.88/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Poured out a dark, dark brown color with a light brown head of bubbly foam. It left thick sheets of lace on the glass.

S - It smelled roasty with some strong pine notes. Some nice citrus notes, too.

T - It tasted of pine, citrus and a strong burnt toast maltiness.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A medium bodied ale with a very dry finish.

O - This is a nice black ale.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2011 02:23:56 | More by zeff80

AgentMunky

Alabama

3.75/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a one quart screw-top growler into a cervoise glass. Filled at Jimmy's twenty minutes ago.

A: Acceptable, creamy head tops a very black beer. Dark red and clear in direct lighting.

S: Chocolate malts and subversive hops. Creamy-sweet and pleasant.

T: Initially waterier than expected, with odd hops forming on the end...mayhap this is pine resin butting heads with the creamy milk chocolate that otherwise dominates the maintaste? Not great, but not bad. Certainly interesting.

M: Creamy, solid, bitter-dry on the aftertaste.

O: 4.0 for effort. Care clearly went into crafting this beer even if the outcome is not entirely to my liking. I would recommend trying it, even if I wouldn't have another.

Serving type: growler

08-16-2011 04:08:29 | More by AgentMunky

Naugros

New Jersey

3.8/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This immediately develops a mondo thick, mocha-colored, rocky head that rises tall. The beer is dark brown with an inner red glow.

The smell comes off as a nice balance between the roasted malts and the pine and citrus hops. That continues into the taste and the bitterness that both the malts and hops bring is multiplied. There are hints of chocolate and coffee, making this taste like one seriously overhopped stout.

But it doesn't have the body of a stout, it's more of a medium body which is in keeping with the style. The excessive bitterness doesn't carry deeply into the aftertaste.

I liked this one. I've had stouts that were overhopped and it didn't work (see Hoppin Frog Black and Tan). This managed to get a nice taste balance between the two, yet it is a black IPA. Nicely done.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2011 14:29:18 | More by Naugros

fdkayti

Illinois

4/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Very dark (it almost looks purple) with a thin beige head. Fades into a ring around the rim of the pint glass. Looks pretty solid.

S- Berry-like fruitiness with a dark roasted malt scent. The appearance is almost misleading - the hops are a surprise as well as the floral aroma.

T- No hops right up front but sure there in the finish. Roasty goodness paired with the distinct bitterness of most IPAs. Some milk chocolate flavors come through, an unusual blend of flavors in general. Pretty much most of my favorite things all at once.

MF - All parts of my tongue taste and feel something different. Pretty intense to drink, creamy but not necessarily thick. Good carbonation.

OD- The intensity of all of these flavors would make it hard to drink more than one, but I can still enjoy it. No hint of booziness. Nothing too spectacular, but a solid and satisfying beverage.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2011 03:02:08 | More by fdkayti

ummswimmin

New Jersey

3.45/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

I chose this as my 100th review because I newly became a father this year. It seems appropriate to have the Father's Day beer as my milestone review.

The Helper looks like a porter with a pretty decent head. The coloring is like a darker porter. This is a good look for a black IPA. Off the top I get a nice dose of hoppiness. I get the pineyness and citrus in the aroma.

In the flavoring I pick up some light coffee, citrus, and pine. None of it seemed to balance out very well. The bitterness invades after each taste and sits on the tongue.

The beer was a decent experience, but not really one I will be repeating.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2011 01:05:52 | More by ummswimmin

wondermoose

Utah

4/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dark, dark IPA that was unique to my palette. Like most of Rogue's stuff, it's just a really great beer. Nothing ground-breaking, but thoroughly enjoyable. Left a little to be desired in the hop department, but the darker color and taste gave it a different experience. Had it with a pork chop and the two made music together, and would definitely pick it up again.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2011 02:37:54 | More by wondermoose

JNewbs

Ohio

3.2/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark, deep brown/black. Nice fluffy toffee colored head. Light lacing for the first half of the glass until the head dissipated. Smell was roasty and interesting. Taste didn't hit the "IPA" hoppy note for me. The bitterness seemed to be coming from the roasted malts, and less from any sort of hopping. Coffee notes, roasted malt, and bitterness dominated the flavor. Mouthfeel was standard. Overall not bad, but I probably wouldn't buy it again.

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2011 22:02:08 | More by JNewbs

yesyouam

New York

4.28/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Rogue Dad's Little Helper Black IPA is an opaque black beer with brown highlights. It's topped with a generous, lumpy, light khaki foam that has outstanding retention and lacing. It has a very grassy aroma with a hint of malt and maybe caramel. It has a smooth medium body with a soft, dry finish. It leaves the tongue a little ashy. The flavor is well balanced between charred roastiness, grassy bitterness and a touch of melanoid. There isn't really any sweetness and the flavor is quite smooth. The aftertaste is charred. This is very smooth and sessionable. The flavor isn't extreme, but it kept my interest the whole time I was drinking it.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2011 14:18:07 | More by yesyouam

shand

Florida

4.05/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bomber into a nonic.

This beer pours a deep brown color with ruby highlights. The head is big, off-white, and retains and laces very well. The aroma is quite nice, it's got a solid leafy hoppiness on top of a solid amount of roastiness. This one tastes mostly like a hoppy porter. The chocolate and roasted coffee tastes really dominate, with the hops providing some extra character. The mouthfeel is nice enough, it feels a little watery, but is otherwise nice. The drinkability is this brew's strong suit, this goes down very easily for 7%. Overall, a solid hoppy porter, not sure if it's deserving of being called a Black IPA, but still tasty for sure.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2011 02:42:21 | More by shand

avalon07

South Carolina

4.18/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had a dark brown color and a thick texture. There was a two inch, creamy, long-lasting head. Excellent lacing.

S: Aroma of coffee, hops, malt, and a sugary component.

T: Tasted of hops, a mild coffee quality, malt, some kind of sugary component, and an earthiness. A very solid and likable flavor all around.

M: A well-carbonated beer with a smooth and dry finish. Medium-bodied.

O: In general, I think Rogue is an overrated brewery, but Dad's Little Helper is a well made and drinkable beer. Very easy to like.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2011 12:11:00 | More by avalon07

whatthehull

California

3.43/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Tasted July 11th 2011 (from notes)

Poured into a la Chouffe tulip

A - a very deep, dark brown/black, one finger tan head and very little lacing

S - coffee, chocolate, pine, fresh water, toasted everything, tons of malts, lots of wood, earth and hoppy hopness

T - coffee, lots of Toastiness, deep malts, yeast, slight sugar, molasses, tons of earth, nice pine, a bit of chocolate, wheat, nice bitterness, wood, and a bit of fresh cut grass. This beer likens to very hoppy IPA, black lager and a European stout.

M - a bit chewy, carbonated, high acidity, medium body and long finish

D - not something you would want to sit and drink a sixer of by yourself, it's something you want to have once in a while and share with friends. Lots of complexity, well balanced and not your average beer. Don't try this if big, burnt and bitter aren't your thing

Final thought - $5 a 22oz and a 7% ABV. This one is for fathers and fathers day

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2011 16:30:49 | More by whatthehull

DavidST

Texas

4.43/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 22oz bomber into a pint glass, I couldn't find a date on the bottle.

This pours a dark almost black color, hints of light get through on the edges, a nice porter color though, with a large mocha colored head.

The smell is of roasted malts with some hops.

The mouth feel is excellent medium heavy thickness very creamy.

The taste is also excellent, you get a bunch of roasted malts up front and on the after taste you're hit with a wave of very hoppy bitterness (claimed 70 IBU on the bottle). A perfect mix of of porter and an IPA.

Overall, this is my favorite of the 3 black IPA's I've had with Hop in the Dark coming in second and Stone's version in 3. As I read the other reviews I guess perhaps I don't know what a black ipa is supposed to taste like, I think this is a perfect mirroring of two flavors, the roasted malts and the IPA, you get an equal amount of both and this makes for a very wonderful drink. With the stone the malts are almost completely masked by the hops and I sometimes forget I'm not drinking a regular IPA.

This is more of what I think a Black IPA should be like (apparently not knowing what the style is), this is a perfect balance between roasted malts and hops, this is one of the better beers I've ever had (and this coming from a guy who normally doesn't get Rogue drinks, although that might change now).

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2011 04:33:01 | More by DavidST

ShogoKawada

Rhode Island

3.05/5  rDev -18.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

pint on tap @ Pour Farm in New Bedford, MA.

Dark brown body, near nothing of a head but I didn't see how it was poured, so who knows. Nothing too special. Moderate lacing, sandy tan in color.

S- Lots of herbal and vegetal hop aromas and some dark roasty malt.

T- Kind of ashy bitterness followed by a hint of citrus. A good amount of coffee- really burnt though. Bitterness lingers and lingers. Not really on an even keel.

M- Robust, hoppy. Full and heavy on the tongue.

O- Meh. Kinda wish I ordered something else. It's not bad- but my mind kept drifting towards stone's sublimely self-righteous while I had this.

Serving type: on-tap

07-07-2011 01:33:20 | More by ShogoKawada

thegodfather2701

North Carolina

3.65/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-Pours nearly pitch black with an off white head that dissipates somewhat quickly. There is not much lacing on the glass.

S-Hoppy with some roasted malt.

T-Hops stand out but there is plenty of roasted malt. It tasted very smoky and even chalky to me.

M-Fairly thick and chewy.

D-The smokiness and chalkiness really cut into its drinkability for me.

Overall, this is only my second black ipa and from what I remember off the top of my head I enjoyed Sublimely Self Righteous much better. However, for fans of the style its worth a try.

Serving type: on-tap

07-06-2011 14:33:08 | More by thegodfather2701

andrenaline

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A – Pours pitch black with a finger of beige soapy head, solid retention and some nice sheeting lacing.

S – Some leafy hops off the top followed by milk chocolate and dark cocoa.

T – The dark roasted malts, espresso and milk chocolate come through amazingly alongside some floral, but bitter, leafy citrus hops. Fantastic blend on this one.

M – Medium bodied ale that goes down smooth and finishes with a touch of dryness.

O – This is easily one of the best blipa’s I’ve had to date. Fantastic blend of dark roasted malts alongside the leafy hops. Highly recommended for fans of this style as it will surely not disappoint.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2011 21:48:14 | More by andrenaline

cokes

Wisconsin

3.45/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Deep twilight mahogany brown topped with a plume of pale khaki that is slow to recede and tosses lace all over.
The nose bring a weak coffee note, almonds, walnuts, spruce, chocolate oranges, and birch bark. Vanilla seeps out as it warms, wrapped in cigar smoke and cedar. It's an attractive aroma, but a stunted one.
Again with the weak, watery coffee suggestions as it eddies across the tastebuds. There's bits of smoke and toast and roasted nuts. Everything congeals towards burnt bagels in the middle, then the hops pelt down bitter pine resin balls tinted with white grapefruit, rusty tin, and chewed aspirin.
It carries a fleecy, almost airy, moderately carbonated body.
While not unpleasant in the least, but its not readily approachable either. It never gains a true identity, nothing coheres.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2011 07:51:02 | More by cokes

kjpage1

Alabama

4.13/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance - really, really dark. Looks great in a glass with almost an inch of a tan/white head. Leaves some serious lacing all the way through.

Smell - kind of lacking. A little bitter/piny with some coffee thrown in.

Taste - big hoppy bitterness that finishes with some coffee and malty goodness. Leaves a bitter aftertaste.

Mouthfeel - smooth feel, not overly aggressive or rough. Medium thickness and carbonation.

Overall - I liked it a lot; kind of the love-child between a stout and IPA, getting the best from both worlds. Great coffee taste and smooth mouthfeel while still having a hoppy/bitter punch.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2011 02:49:19 | More by kjpage1

Magpie14

Michigan

3.93/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: deep brown, near black hues. Head is luscious, creamy and ecru in color. Lacing is outta site..no joke. A massive film encompasses my glass. Great stuff

S: nose is heavily roasted and slightly hopped. Overall sweet and malty. Nothing to intense here

T: starts sweet with blackened malts. I find that the hops play a bigger part here. My tongue is getting a hit with a bitter bomb throughout each sip. This is without one of the better black ales/IPA's I have had in some time Good brew for the style.

M: medium feel and slick weighted body. Easy to drink and very accessible

O: nice beer from out west

Serving type: on-tap

06-25-2011 18:34:25 | More by Magpie14

NickRivers

California

3.98/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A&S - Pours a deep ruby with plenty of off white head and some light lacing. Tons of citrus hops which I love to see in this style as apposed to pine, some lightly roasted malt and coffee but not much coming through that huge head(That's what she said).

T&M - Nice citrus and sweet malt on the front turns to this brutal roasted coffee and piney flavor that works together very well.

O - A lovely beer and sadly not for everyone...

As a huge fan of porters and IPAs I thoroughly enjoyed this one for its very well balanced and brings out all the lovely flavors of roasted malts and hops together without any intensity. Porters have that great dark, yet light bodied coffee flavor with slight bitterness that some people cannot resist, while IPAs have, depending on which one, citrusy and piney hop character. This beer combines all of these flavors very well, in what is in my opinion a well balanced beer with just enough complexity. I highly recommend this mostly because its a perfect example of the style and is highly available most of the year. Stay thirsty my friends.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2011 03:56:27 | More by NickRivers

DNICE555

Connecticut

3.88/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Elis on the day off before the trav champ with the Larse. Dark brown body with an off white head. Smells nice and piney with some citrus and dark malt. Tastes nice and bitter. The coffe comes second. Smooth feel to it like all of the rogue beers. Overall a solid black ipa.

Serving type: on-tap

06-23-2011 22:28:11 | More by DNICE555

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

3.88/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance. Pours a hazy brown with a little red. Not much light gets through this. One finger of yellow, sticky looking head that leaves some nice lacing.

Smell. Lots of citrus and some pine. A little toasty malt. Bitter finish.

Taste. Big hit of piney hops and citrus rind. A little coffee and roasty dark malt.

Mouthfeel. Medium-light body with medium-strong carbonation.

Overall. Good dark ipa. Not as nice or pronounced as others of the same style in the dark portion, but nice and hoppy for the ipa part.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2011 23:58:43 | More by Rutager

isualum12

Idaho

2.25/5  rDev -39.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

From the start let me say I am a rogue lover and apart of rogue nation.

That said I did not care for this beer at all.

Pours black with very little head.
Hardly any smell at all. Some hops but nothing like the beer. It is an understatement to say the smell did not prepare me for the taste.

Taste BITTER. Holly hop and bitter. You do taste some malt in there also but it is burnt malt. This is not smooth.

Mouthfeel is strong with carbonized.

Overall I am not a fan. I wouldn't reach for this again. All well. Rogue still brews my personal fav..

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2011 00:16:53 | More by isualum12

axeman9182

New Jersey

2.93/5  rDev -21.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

22oz bottle, part of Amanti Vino's June Beer of the Month club. I split it with a buddy and poured my half in my Dogfish Head signature glass.

Dad's Little Helper pours an intimidating black. The light cream colored head maxes out at about three fingers in height before slowly creeping down the glass. Lacing is left in a web pattern along the glass. The nose is burnt, roasty grains first, and some earthy and piney hops second. I'd really prefer to see the two switch places in terms of relative potency. The flavor maintains that same (unfortunte) balance, and the roasty malt character crosses the line a little bit into an acrid, burnt flavor. That's only accentuated by the mid palate bitterness. The earthy-herbal and pine hop notes do their best to soften everything that came before, but it's not enough. Body is about as mid-sized as I'd expect for a 7% beer, and carbonation is a little bit less than I'd expect, but still works well. To me, Black IPAs are a tough style to get right, the specialty grain to hops balance can be very sensitive, and ultimately Dad's Little Helper doesn't quite work out.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2011 04:50:58 | More by axeman9182